Escape to this contemporary barn on a friendly farmstead with fern-fringed cliffs and walks galore on your door. Ask about ferry discounts

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

Pluck grapes, splash in the child-shallow pool and explore the ‘Yorkshire of Italy’ with rolling green hills and conical trulli

Victorian country house for 8-15 with gardens overlooking the Howgill Fells for happy reunions with family and friends

A house on a hill (El Nido means The Nest) built in the Moorish style surrounded by sea views and the green hills of the Granada coastline

Up in the hills, an amazing family holiday with Lorna and Lee. Weekly paella nights, great pool, lovely walking. Beauty therapies, too...

Immerse yourself in sentiment and romance at Valeria’s charming Veronese villa. The walls sing with framed opera programmes and music scores

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

A spacious farmhouse with a pool in the grounds of a stately château. Wander the walled garden, explore the countryside and pretty villages

An airy Estate Manager's House set in pretty grounds with a pool, orchard, barbecue and private terrace for long lazy days in the sun

Manicured exteriors surround this 18th-century hamlet, a cluster of restored buildings with nine apartments, restaurant, pool and small spa

A peaceful cottage for 2-4 between the Dales and the Moors, with swallows in the barn, an idyllic village, and a garden to explore

Immerse yourself in 50 acres of peaceful countryside and the fine pool. Generous owners are on hand, Les Eyzies is just a few minutes' drive

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture

Farmhouse B&B with thoughtful hosts and superb breakfasts; Michelin-star dining is in the village and thermal baths are near

Gracious hosts, a mix of 17th-century style and contemporary design with comfort in spades, just minutes from the Rialto Bridge and market